Join us for a special opportunity to visit gardens inAustralia when it's springtime down under. Our tour starts inthe vibrant city of Sydney and continues on through the BlueMountains and scenic highlands of New South Wales to thecapital city of Canberra. Continuing to the state of Victoria, we'll visit charming townships like Daylesford, Dunkeld, and Sorrento, and Grampians National Park. The tour will end in the cultural city of Melbourne. Tour attendees may want to add a few days to their trip and take in the Melbourne Garden DesignFest, taking place the following weekend, before heading home to the United States.

Just added to the itinerary: On the Mornington Peninsula we’ll visit a stunning garden created by Robert Boyle, a leading Victorian landscape architect. The garden complements the beautiful contemporary home designed by Alan Powell to showcase their significant Australian art collection---and---they have kindly offered to host us for a meal which features local wines and produce. As well, in Woodend we are privileged to meet the celebrated garden designer and author Paul Bangay. He will personally show us around his home and garden the creation of which is documented in his book “The Garden at Stonefields."

Tuesday Nov 4Check in to the comfortable Holiday Inn Hotel Potts Point, stunningly located with panoramic views over the harbor and city, close to a vibrant restaurant area and within walking distance to the Art Museum and famous Opera House on Sydney Harbour. Gather in the early evening to meet up with Andrea Testa-Vought and Jo Connor who has organized the tour. We will go to a very special location for our welcome dinner. Dinner

Wednesday Nov 5Today we board our luxury coach and meet the driver who will look after usthroughout New South Wales and Canberra. During the course of the day in thegreater Sydney area we will visit historic Vaucluse House and garden andselected premium gardens designed by leading Australian landscape gardeners.There will also be an opportunity to be out on Sydney Harbor. Breakfast

Thursday Nov 6 Our final destination today is Leura in the Blue Mountains.We stay at Fairmont Resort Hotel adjacent to the Three Sisters natural rockymonument and overlooking the Jamison Valley. The gardens we visit featureplants that grow in the cool climate of the area. We will enjoy private gardens and magnificent homes in the Mt Wilson area, and the Paul Sorenson-designed garden of Everglades, a brilliant blend of European design elements in harmony with the Australian landscape. Breakfast/Lunch

Friday Nov 7 On the way to the Southern Highlands we stop at Camden House, an early colonial farm where we meet Mickey and Larry Robertson and see their charming garden. Mickey will serve our lunch in their home featuring produce from her abundant vegetablegarden. Our next stop is the extensive Red Cow Farm Garden in SuttonForest. To cap the day we visit the historic and well-preserved Georgianvillage of Berrima, tour the old gaol with stories to tell, dine at The Magpiend stay at a comfortable local motel. Breakfast Lunch

Saturday Nov 8 This morning our coach takes us to Canberra, the capital ofAustralia. After morning coffee we will be guided through the National Botanic Gardens of Australia where they maintain a scientific collection of native plants from all parts of Australia. We will see the post-modern National Museum beside Lake Burley Griffin with the symbolic landscape in the Garden of Australian Dreams, tour the Parliament buildings, and visit the National Gallery and accompanying sculpture garden before our included flight from Canberra to Melbourne. On arrival in Melbourne airport we will connect with the driver and coach for the Victorian sector of the tour. There is a short drive to our hotel Novotel Forest Resort in Creswick, which is within an old gold mining region and has Australia’s largest concentration of natural mineral springs. Breakfast Lunch

Sunday Nov 9We have a day enjoying this area that has a wonderful climate for gardens and charming villages to explore. As well as visiting very special private gardens, we will be taken around Lambley Nursery by David Glenn and enjoy morning tea by the old farmhouse. To end the day we will be hosted to dinner with local wines at a private home. Breakfast Dinner

Monday Nov 10After breakfast today we head for Grampians National Park, with forestedcraggy mountain escarpments and a renowned rich colorful wildflowerdisplay which will be near its peak for our visit. The park has over 800indigenous plant species from sub-alpine to woodland and swampland, anabundance of birds and 40 species of mammals. We will see an importantAboriginal rock art site, and visit Brambuk Information Center. Tonight ourhotel in Dunkeld is the Royal Mail Hotel. It has an award-winning restaurant,an extensive kitchen garden and looks out over a rural scene with theSouthern Grampian Mountains as a backdrop. Breakfast

Tuesday Nov 11Today we will be traveling through the Western District of Victoria. We will visit Dalvui, one of the large farming properties this area is known for. The garden here was laid out to the design of William Guilfoyle in 1898 and has remained remarkably intact and well maintained, and considered the best example of his private gardens. The stylish Edwardian residence built in 1908 displays its original ornate carved interior and sweeping staircase. We will be treated to lunch in this home. There will be other spectacular gardens on our route to Queenscliff where we take the ferry to the Mornington Peninsula and our hotel at Sorrento for the next two nights. Beside our hotel is a lovely cliff walk and beach on Port Phillip Bay for you to enjoy. Breakfast Lunch

Wednesday Nov 12Our garden tour continues today with two coastal gardens owned and designed by landscape architects, using mostly indigenous planting. The area is also well known for wineries and we will have the opportunity to sample the wines, and have a delicious lunch. In the eveningwe will be treated to an Aussie Barbeque and meet some local characters.Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Thursday Nov 13Travelling north we come to Heronswood Garden and Nursery overlooking PortPhillip Bay. We can wander the gardens displaying perennial borders, scentedplants, herbs and dry climate plants before enjoying a “Fork to Fork” lunch. Wecontinue on to see the McClelland Gallery and Sculpture Park in Langwarren. The last treat of the day is the recently completed Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne. Here the Australian Garden is an inspiring and immersive display of Australian flora, landscapes, art and architecture. Set across fifteen hectares, the garden follows a journey of water from the arid inland landscapes of central Australia, along dry river beds and down mighty rivers to the coast. Within this landscape are the exhibition gardens where we can explore the beauty and diversity of Australian plants. Tonight we arrive at our hotel Travelodge Southbank conveniently located on the Yarra River and close to many restaurants, art galleries, the Opera House, Flinders Street Railway Station and downtown Melbourne. Breakfast

Friday Nov 14We will have a full day for the last day of our tour, andsee the best that Melbourne has to offer, includingCloudehill in the Dandenong Ranges, where its stonewalls and jewel-like garden rooms are set withinwoodlands of magnificent and historic cool climatetrees. Also on the list is Heide Museum of Modern Artwhich is set in a beautiful landscape. We will have lunch in the award-winning cafe in the sculpture plaza. Two gardens sensitively created by landscape architects and using indigenous plants cap the day. Tonight is a surprise farewell dinner which reflects the hospitality of Melbournians. Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Saturday Nov 15The tour ends after breakfast today. Guests may wish to stay on to enjoy the Melbourne Garden DesignFestBreakfast.

TOUR LAND COST PER GUEST, based on a minimum of 15 paying guestsPrice based on double occupancy: $5998.00 for members* of Pacific Horticulture Society, $6048 for non-members. Single supplement: $1188.00 *Not a member? Click here to join

COSTS INCLUDE:

11 night’s accommodation (additional nights available)

All hotel taxes and service charges

11 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 dinners

Flight from Canberra to Melbourne

Public and private garden visits as per itinerary

Deluxe private coaches and top drivers

All sightseeing and entrances as per the itinerary

Gifts for the private garden owners and donations to various garden organizations